The outgoing MP for Asante Akim North has expressed profound regret over what he describes as a collective failure within the NPP to support Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s historic campaign.
Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi speaking on Joy News’ Upfront with Raymond Acquah, described Dr Bawumia’s unprecedented efforts on the campaign trail, the internal sabotage he faced, and how a lack of unity within the party led to disappointing results.
Reflecting on Dr Bawumia’s performance, Mr Appiah-Kubi was full of admiration for the Vice President’s energy and dedication.
“Since I’ve been in politics, I haven’t seen a candidate that has done this rigorous campaign, okay? Not even President J.A. Kufuor, because I was very close to him. Dr. Bawumia’s campaign was something else.”
He emphasized the extraordinary lengths Dr Bawumia went to reach voters.
“He toured the length and breadth of the country. Everywhere he was. The last place he came was in my constituency. So I asked myself, where did the crowd go? The masses that came there…because Dr. Bawumia was phenomenal.”
Despite the Vice President’s ability to attract large crowds, Mr Appiah-Kubi admitted that the efforts were undermined by ineffective grassroots organisation.
“Anytime he left, the work on the ground suffered. The people who were supposed to do the work didn’t do it. So, they disappointed him. All of us, I’m not sure we did what was right.”
Mr Appiah-Kubi dismissed any claims that others within the party deserved credit for the overwhelming support Dr Bawumia received on the trail.
“I don’t want anybody to come and claim the glory and say, ‘We brought the crowd.’ No, he himself was a crowd-puller.”
The MP also revealed that internal sabotage within the party, including in his own constituency, played a significant role in the disappointing outcome.
“In my particular case, my constituency executives were campaigning against me. My chairman, my vice chairman—my God—they were campaigning against me.”
This internal division, he argued, contributed to the party’s inability to capitalize on the momentum Dr. Bawumia had generated.
Mr Appiah-Kubi also pointed fingers at President Nana Akufo-Addo, accusing him of being unresponsive to concerns raised by members of parliament.
“The blame will go, by extension, because he refused to listen to us, even when we saw reality and tried to communicate it to him. He wouldn’t take anything of that sort. He was too recalcitrant.”
He highlighted the frustrations of MPs who repeatedly sought the President’s attention to address critical issues.
“It wasn’t just one person speaking. We were doing advocacy for more than 96 members of parliament. Are you saying all of us lacked reason? We met, we had written our resolution, and we wanted him to hear it. But he wouldn’t listen to any of us.”
Mr Appiah-Kubi argued that this disconnect between the President and the MPs marked the beginning of the party’s decline.
“We saw the rot going on, and we wanted to let him know so we could take remedial action. But he wouldn’t listen. One person’s unwillingness to act brought all of us to this situation.”
According to Mr Appiah-Kubi, the failure to address internal issues and listen to MPs’ warnings about growing discontent within the party was a major factor in their underperformance.
“The deterioration started from there. When leadership refuses to heed the voices of its members, you can’t expect success.”
